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"When it comes to emergency preparedness, it's not all about money. It's about, how well are you organized? How ready?" Gregoire said.

The warning stations -- which could be triggered by local authorities, state emergency officials or national alerts -- emit a siren or a recorded evacuation message. They could be used in any emergency but are being sent to the coast to boost the state's tsunami network. Shortcomings in that system were revealed in June, when a tsunami warning sparked by an earthquake off the California coast failed to reach several communities.

Officials said a malfunctioning phone line was to blame, and though a killer wave never materialized, Gregoire pledged to upgrade tsunami preparations.

Maj. Gen. Timothy Lowenberg, head of the state's emergency operations, has said an additional 90 tsunami warning stations would provide full coastal protection.

Gregoire said the 20 stations planned through state and federal projects would be a good start. "It's not going to be enough, but it is a whole lot better than what we have right now," she said.

They can be powered by batteries, solar cells or wind generators and are resistant to salt corrosion and gale-force winds, Harper said.

Gregoire's budget proposal also calls for:

$500,000 to help emergency crews across the state communicate with each other more effectively.

$275,000 from the general fund and $1.2 million from other state accounts for a data center in Eastern Washington that would back up law enforcement and transportation information in the event of a major disaster in the western part of the state.

Gregoire's requests will be considered when the Legislature convenes Jan. 9.